West Chiltington Parish Council
September 2005
A meeting of the Planning Committee of West Chiltington Parish Council was held at 7.30 pm on Tuesday 6th September 2005 in the Parish Office at the Reading Room, Church Street, West Chiltington.
Present: Neil Longson (Chairman), Estelle Warriner, Paul Royce, Jonathan Trees, and Dennis Tyler
Also in attendance: Tony Thomas (Clerk to the Council)
The Chairman opened the meeting and welcomed everyone.
1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Harvie Steele (Holiday), Celia Rayner (Holiday), Michael Jackson (Meeting), Pietro di Marino (Business Commitment) and Roger Watts (Business Commitment)
2. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
It was proposed by Paul Royce and seconded by Estelle Warriner that the minutes be approved as an accurate record of the previous meeting, held on 2nd August 2005. The Chairman signed the minutes.
3. MATTERS ARISING
i) Car Park Flower Beds – Gardencraft have been asked to bring them back to a tidy state, in addition to cutting the allotment hedges and strimming the paths and overgrown area at the far end.
ii) Willets Farm – Enforcement Notice issued on 19th August, effective 26th September unless appeal is lodged, compliance period of between 1 and 6 months. The Clerk was asked to ensure that any breaches of the enforcement notice are notified to HDC immediately.
4. CURRENT APPLICATIONS FOR COMMENT
DC/05/1819 - Mr And Mrs Johnson, Tankards, Westward Lane - Erection of double carport building and construction of vehicular access onto Monkmead Lane
Parish Council – No objection
.
DC/05/1843 -
Mr D Wilson, Wistaria Cottage, Crossways, - Erection of detached dwelling and garage Plot 1 (Approval of Reserved Matters)
Parish Council – Objection
– The members had strong objections to the development on the grounds that the footprint of the proposed building is considerably larger than the outline permission granted on appeal, which had an integral garage rather than a separate garage as now proposed, which will result in it being unduly prominent and out of scale with existing development. We therefore request that any building approved should be in accordance with the outline planning permission granted on the site.
DC/05/1879 - Mr And Mrs Fairmaner, Westerlyn, Roundabout Lane - Single storey rear and 2 storey side extensions
Parish Council – No objection
DC/05/1882 - Mr J E Vance, Old School House, Church Street, - Surgery to 1 Willow, 1 Beech and 11 Leylandii trees
Parish Council – No objection
DC/05/1896 Mr And Mrs S. Rout, Timberdown, Harborough Drive - 2-Storey side and rear extension
Parish Council – No objection – but would like conditions attached about using obscured glass in windows facing Woodlands, and that any foundation work should take account of and protect tree roots to avoid damage.
DC/05/2067 - Mr And Mrs G Harvey, Foxgloves, Finches Lane, West Chiltington
Dormer windows
Parish Council – No objection
DC/05/2068 - F.N.Midmer, Orme Cottage, Nyetimber Copse, West Chiltington
Single-Storey front extension to garage
Parish Council – No objection
DC/05/2069 - Mrs S Ansell, Harbolets, Harbolets Road, West Chiltington
Manege
Parish Council – No objection
It was noted by the Clerk that only one of the applicants had the planning notice on display as required, informing interested parties that an application had been lodged and that he would notify HDC for them to take appropriate action.
5. PLANNING DECISIONS AND APPEALS
(i) District Council decisions:
DC/04/1725 - Ebury & Stone, Birnam, Harborough Hill - erection of 2 houses
Parish Council - recognises that a precedent has been established with grant of permission for development of the adjoining Wychacre/Homemount site. If development is inevitable on the Birnam site, the new dwelling to the rear (Plot B) should be in keeping with surrounding development and restricted to single storey. In order to preserve the attractive semi-rural character and appearance of the area, all trees and vegetation on the Birnam site should be preserved as far as possible
District Council decision: PERMITTED – No development to take place until screen walls and/or fences have been approved, and buildings shall not be occupied until such screening has been erected. Full details of hard and soft landscaping to be approved before work commences. Schedule of materials and samples of finishes of walls and roof to be approved before work commences. Working hours to be restricted to 8.00 to 18.00 hours Monday to Friday inclusive and 8.00 to 13.00 hours on Saturday. No burning of materials to take place on site. Finished floor level to be submitted and approved, and should be 500mm below existing level of Birnham. Provision for storage of refuse and recycling bins to be approved. Occupation not to take place until access and car parking spaces have been provided. No occupation to take place until the existing vehicular access onto Harborough Hill, serving Birnham, has been physically closed and reinstated to highway verge
DC/04/2049 - Charles James Homes, Harborough, Harborough Hill - demolition of existing dwelling and erection of 2 detached dwellings and access
Parish Council - understands that amended plans have been submitted, copies of which will be sent to the Parish Council after Christmas. The Council will wait to see the latest plans before commenting.
District Council decision: PERMITTED – No development to take place until a schedule of materials and samples finishes and colours for walls and roof have been approved. No additional windows to be created without permission. Finished floor levels to be agreed before development takes place. Details of screen walls and fences to be approved before development. Provision must be made on site for unloading of vehicles and storage of materials and equipment and be approved. All hard and soft landscaping to be approved before development commences. All existing trees, shrubs and hedges are to be protected and marked before work commences. No trenches to be dug that would interfere with tree roots, and action taken to protect any roots found. Working hours to be restricted to 8.00 to 18.00 hrs Monday to Friday and 8.00 to 13.00 hrs Saturday. All existing buildings on site to be demolished and debris removed. Plot 1 not to be occupied until access to Harborough Hill has been constructed with agreed visibility splays.
DC/05/0764 - Faccenda Group Ltd, Homefield Farm Broadford Bridge - retention of a mobile home
Parish Council – the application should not be permitted unless there is an overriding functional need for this additional accommodation at the site. The information provided by the applicant does not appear to justify retention of a mobile home. The Agricultural Adviser should be consulted.
District Council decision: PERMITTED – because of prevailing circumstances considered reasonable to make exception for development. Occupation to be limited to someone mainly working or last working in the agricultural industry.
DC/05/1351 – Mr & Mrs Bulman, Poppy’s Place, Roundabout Lane – single-storey front and rear extensions
Parish Council - no objection.
District Council decision: PERMITTED
DC/05/1357 – Mr Speary, Sandalwood, Haglands Lane – surgery to one oak tree
Parish Council – the tree is a fine, attractive specimen with high amenity value. Any surgery carried out on the tree should be the absolute minimum necessary for good arboricultural management, and should be closely supervised by the Tree Officer.
District Council decision: PERMITTED
DC/05/1402 – Mr & Mrs Gilham, 19 Curbey Close – erection of single attached garage
Parish Council - no objection.
District Council decision: PERMITTED
DC/05/1419 - Mr And Mrs R Ewins, Heather Nook, 2 Heathermead - 2-storey rear extension
Parish Council – no objection
District Council decision: REFUSED – the proposal by virtue of its size and design would have an adverse effect on the character and appearance of the existing dwelling and the street scene.
DC/05/1426 - F K Pountney, Sylvan Lodge, Monkmead Lane - Retention of a 1.7 metre high fence
Parish Council
– No objection if planted with suitable plants in front.
District Council decision: PERMITTED – Soft landscaping to be agreed and approved and fence stained in a colour to be agreed and maintained.
DC/05/1433 - Mr And Mrs Barsham, Willetts Farm House, Broadford Bridge Road - Alterations to bedroom extension and loggia (amendment to planning permission WC/161/03)
Parish Council – no objection
District Council decision: PERMITTED
DC/05/1460 - Mr M Harding, Avening, Heathfield Copse - 1st floor side extension
Parish Council – no objection
District Council decision: PERMITTED
DC/05/1470 - Alex Ross, Woodpeckers, Monkmead Lane - Single storey rear sunroom extension
Parish Council – no objection
District Council decision: PERMITTED
DC/05/1586 - John Anthony Calnan, Bel-Air Orchard Dell - Dormer window
Parish Council – No objection.
District Council decision: PERMITTED
APPEALS SUBMITTED:
DC/05/0742
– Mr Clarke, Cedar Barn, Coneyhurst Farm, West Chiltington Lane, Coneyhurst – shed
Parish Council – no objection.
District Council decision – REFUSED – by virtue of its size, siting and appearance, the proposed building would adversely affect the rural character of the area, contrary to Local Plan policies.
Awaiting decision
DC/05/1071- Mr & Mrs Rymer, land east of Conifers, The Common - erection of a dwelling
Parish Council - objections. Outline application DC/04/1220, allowed on appeal, refers specifically to a 2 bedroom retirement chalet bungalow. What is now proposed is a 3-bedroom chalet bungalow, with a conservatory not shown on the outline application. The position of the building is shown further east on the plot, closer to the boundary with the neighbouring property, and further north towards the road. The plans show a house with a steeply pitched roof, which is too large for the site, and which will appear cramped and out of keeping with neighbouring development. The steeply pitched roof will make the house an intrusive and incongruous feature of the street scene, detrimental to the visual amenities of the locality.
Any new house on the site should be built precisely in accordance with the appeal decision.
District Council decision – REFUSED – by virtue of its scale and siting would be unduly prominent in the street scene, and represents a cramped form of over development.
Awaiting decision
DC/05/0583 – Mr N Pope, Land at Roundabout Place, Common Hill – Erection of dwelling and access.
Parish Council
- strong objections, for the same reasons that earlier applications have been considered unacceptable. This proposal is for frontland development, and contrary to Local Plan policy WC1 and the Village Design Statement. This area of West Chiltington Common is characterised by large houses standing back from the road in generous plots. The new house will stand well forward of the existing building line; the plot is small, out of keeping with other plot sizes in the vicinity, with the result that any new house will appear cramped on the site, and out of keeping; there will inevitably be loss of trees and vegetation at the site, to the detriment of the character and amenities of the area. The creation of a new vehicular access where visibility in Common Hill is already poor will increase the chances of traffic accidents; the Parish has insufficient local facilities and amenities to serve yet another new development; and permitting the application will create a precedent which, when followed, will destroy the character and amenities of this pleasant semi-rural area. The District Council's reasons for refusing application WC/42/93, and the Inspector's reasons for dismissing the subsequent appeal, continue to apply. The Parish Council asks that the application be referred to Committee for decision.
District Council decision – REFUSED – Undesirable intensification, out of keeping and incompatible with existing development in the locality.
6. CORRESPONDENCE
(i) Training Session – Ray Wright, Head of Planning Dept is considering setting up training sessions for councillors on all aspects of planning in the coming months. Asking if there is any interest? The Clerk was asked to respond in the affirmative and request further details.
ii) Searles, Church Street – HDC notification, after the event, for which apologies sent, that a small section of hedge removed to allow repair to wall.
iii) Notification from HDC that a TPO has been issued for – East View, Harbolets Road on 17th August 2005.
iv) Notification from HDC that a TPO has been issued for – Tanglewood, 5 Mill End, on 17th August 2005.
v) Croquet Club – reported three men playing golf on recreation ground, cut divots out of turf. No sign that golf and horse riding not allowed now visible. The Clerk was asked to investigate and replace the sign.
vi) Meeting of the West Sussex Minerals Development - Sand Resource Area Forum, Wednesday 14th September. Anyone interested in attending to obtain details from the Clerk.
vii) Provisional West Sussex Transport Plan 2001 – 2016 – Stage 4. Report available and anyone interested in reading the report contact he Clerk.
viii) Roundabout Sponsorship – A letter from West Sussex County Council concerning commercial sponsorship of roundabout, as West Chiltington does not have any roundabouts this is not relevant to the parish.
ix) Voluntary Land Registration – The Land Registry have offered to register any land that the Parish Council own that is not already registered at a reduced rate. Members were asked to identify any such land for the Clerk to investigate.
7. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
i) Estelle Warriner mentioned that the pavement surface along The Common until Little Hill is very rough and the Clerk said he would notify County Highways.
ii) Several members mentioned overgrown hedges restricting visibility from roads and blocking pavements. The Clerk had already mentioned this to County Highways and they are to provide details of the various road traffic acts and appropriate wording for the Clerk to issue post cards to the occupiers informing them of their responsibilities, if this fails to elicit a response then County Highways will take action.
iii) Paul Royce reported that the bank at the top of Little Hill on the right is very overgrown and that a sycamore tree is over-hanging the road, restricting the width. It is possible that HDC still own the bank from when they owned the houses; the Clerk will investigate.
iv) Several members commented on the large stones that have been placed on the roadside verges in Monkmead Lane. The Clerk has already discussed the matter with County Highways and although this is illegal enforcement would be difficult due to the large numbers of properties involved. The Clerk has requested details of the relevant road traffic acts and will write to householders pointing out the implications should an accident result, or be made worse, by the presence of the stones.
There being no further business the Chairman thanked everyone for attending and closed the meeting at 8.55 pm.